Hydraulic press



J. s. RODGERS HYDRAULIC PRESS Nov. 5, 1935.

' Filed March 26, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l [721/673 2 07" J IMEJ J RODGERS J. S. RODGERS HYDRAULIC PRESS Nov. 5, 1935.

Filed March 26,1934

Q h 3 k v w 7 ,MWQN ,m .HW H WM \2 Ill wh mm v 3 mm 4 nu .m wm 3 b v m S m mm hm 9T mv Av @M 13 Av AV E an Mb 2 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 [Iii 621 0)" JZIMEJ' J2 RODGERS Patented Nov. 5, 1935 PATENT OFFICE HYDRAULIC PRESS James S. Rodgers, Minneapolis, Minn, assignor, by mesne assignments, of one-third to John L. Rodgers, one-third to George A. Rodgers, and

one-third to apolis, Minn.

Application March 26,

9 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fluid operated presses, generally, and more particularly to a hydraulic press of the portable type adapted for various purposes where great pressure is required to move an object, and it is particularly well adapted for use in the operation of replacing worn pivot pins and bush ings in the links of traction belts; imch as are commonly used on crawler type tractors, as the apparatus readily lends itself for use to first remove the worn pivot pins and bushings from their respective links, and thereafter to press the new bushings and pivot pins into said links.

An object of the invention is to provide a portable, compact hydraulic press having great power, and which is simple and easy to operate, and which may conveniently be moved about to accommodate the work.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic press which is so constructed that it may readily be applied to the Work without the use of bolts, screws, or other fastening means.

A further object is to provide a hydraulic press comprising a ram having a suitable supporting frame and a thrust plate betweenv which and the rain, the work to be operated upon is supported, and means operatively connecting said thrust plate to the supporting frame of the ram, whereby the thrust plate is adapted for relative movement with respect to said supporting frame to thereby allow for irregularities in the work.

Other objects of the invention reside in the unique manner of connecting the thrust plate to the supporting frame of the ram, whereby when thepress is used for removing worn bushings or pivot pins from the links of a traction belt, the ram. may automatically aline itself with the bushing or pivot pin being operated upon, regardless of variations in the surfacesof the links engaged by said thrust plate; in the specific construction of the compression and tension mem bers which operatively connect the thrust plate to the supporting frame of the ram and permit'free r relative movement of the plate within predetermined limits, to thereby a low for variations in the work; in the novel construction of the ram and the fluid circulating pump for operating the ram, and whereby the pump may be located remote from the ram; in the means provided for temporarily retaining the fluid in the cylinder of the ram to thereby support the work in clamped position between the thrust plate and the ram, and whereby the release of the fluid from the ram may be controlled at will; and, in the novel construction of the apparatuses a whole, where- James S. Rodgers, all of Minne- 1934, serial No. 717,334

by it maybe conveniently moved about from place to place and applied to the work without loss of time, and without relatively moving the fluid operated pump as a result of the latter being connected to the ram by flexible means.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the'invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line l--l of Figure 2,,showing the apparatus used for removing a worn traction belt;

Figure2 is a plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing the pivot pin from the links of press used for removing the. usual bushings from the links of a traction belt;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3; I

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view showing in full and dotted lines the manner of engaging the thrust plate with the links of the traction belt in the operation of removing the bushings therefrom; and

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1, showing the interior construc- 85 tion of the fluid circulating pump.

The novel apparatus herein disclosed is shown comprising a ram or a plunger 2 having a piston 3 mounted for reciprocal movement within a cylinder 4, secured to a suitable supporting frame 5, in which the ram 2 is guidingly supported, as best shown in Figure l. The cylinder 4 is shown provided at one end with a head 6 suitably secured thereto, and at its outer end with a head 1, shown having a cylindrical projection 8 received in an aperture 9 provided in a clamping plate I I, which is secured to the supporting frame 5 by suitable tie rods l2, whereby the cylinder may be secured to the frame 5.

A thrust plate or member l3, preferably shaped as-shown-in Figures 1 and 4, is operatively connected to the supporting frame 5 by means of a compression member I4, having its terminals 15 loosely received in apertures l6 and I! provided in the supporting frame 5 and the thrust plate l3, respectively, as best shown in Figure 1. Suitable tension rods I8 operatively connect together the intermediate portions of the frame 5 and thrust plate l3, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The end portions of the tension members |8 are threaded, as best shown in Figure 2, and are provided with suitable nuts IS. The threaded end portions of the tension members 8 are loosely received in apertures 2| and 22, provided respectively, in the frame 5 and thrust plate l3, and are tightened against the supporting frame 5, nor the supporting plate I3, whereby the supporting plate is loosely connected to the frame 5, so that when the work is supported between the plate i3 and the ram, the latter may automatically aline itself with the bushing or pivot pin being operated upon, when the press is operated, regardless of variations in the surface of the link with which the thrust plate is engaged. This is an important feature of the invention, in that it allows the ram to automatically aline itself with the work, whereby the end of the ram is not so likely to become disengaged therefrom when in operation. For certain classes of work, it may be found desirable to tighten the nuts I9, whereby the thrust plate 3 will be rigidly secured to the supporting frame 5 in spaced relation therefrom. For ordinary use, however, members l4 and I8 are loosely engaged with the parts 5 and I3, as shown in Figures 1, 2,

and 3, to thereby permit the thrust plate l3 to relatively move with respect to the frame 5. Should the sides of the traction links be uneven, or inclined to the vertical, it may be found desirable to loosen the nuts of the tie rods i2, as hereinbefore stated, whereby the cylinder and ram may relatively move with respect to the frame member 5, and thus aline themselves with the bushing or pin to be operated upon. A suitable compression spring 23 is interposed between the piston 3 and the cylinder head 6 and constantly urges the piston in a direction towards the head 1.

Another feature of the invention resides in the 'novel construction of the pump for forcing the fluid into the cylinder 4 back of the piston 3, to thereby actuate the ram 2. This pump is shown comprising an upright casing 24 mounted upon a suitable base 25 which, in turn, may be secured to a suitable supporting member 26 of proper size to support the cylinder in upright position.

A head 21 is suitably secured to the upper end of the casing 24 and has a downwardly extending portion 28 terminating at the intermediate portion of the casing 24. An extension 23 is suitably secured to the lower end of they portion '28, and forms a cylinder 29, in which is mounted a plunger 3|. The plunger 3| is shown having a slightly enlarged head 32 at its upper end which is guidingly supported in a bore 33 provided in the depending portion 28 of the casing head 21. A connecting rod 34 has its lower end connected to the upper end of the plunger 3| by a pivot pin 35, and the upper end of the rod 34 is pivotally conmated to a bracket 36 having an operating handle 31 secured thereto, whereby the bracket 36 may be oscillated to impart reciprocal movement to the connecting rod 34 and therefore the plunger 3 I. The bracket 36 is pivotally supported upon a pin, 39 mounted in the upper ends of a pair of standards 38, secured to the casing head 21-.

The lower end of the cylinder 28 is shown provided with a suitable valve mechanism, generally 5 indicated by the numeral 4|. This valve mechanism comprises a suitable housing having an intake opening 42, normally closed by a check valve 43, whose upward movement is limited by a pin 44 traversing the bore of the lower end of the 10 cylinder 23. When the plunger is forced downwardly, the fluid drawn. into the cylinder through the intake valve 42 will be forced outwardly theref om through a spring-actuated check valve 45, and into a pipe or conduit 46 extending upwardly 16 through the casing 24 andthrough the head 21. A suitable fitting 41 is secured to the upper end of the pipe 46 to which one end of a flexible hose connection 48 may be connected, the opposite end of which is connected to a fitting 49 of a pipe 5| 20 secured to the wall of the cylinder 4, and communicating with the interior thereof, adjacent to the cylinder head 1, as best shown in Figure 1. Thus, when the plunger 3| is forced downwardly by downward movement of the handle 31, the 26 fluid drawn into the cylinder 29 through the valve opening 42, will be forced through the valve 45 and upwardly through the conduit 46, hose connection 48, and pipe 5|, into the cylinder 4 back of the piston 3, whereby the latter will be thrust 30 forwardly against the compression spring 23 and the thrust imposed thereon by the work.

To release the pressure fluid from the cylinder a suitable valve 52 is mounted upon the cylinder 4 and communicates with the interior thereof, 35

1 fluid in the cylinder 4 will return to the casing 24 through the pipe 53, the spring 23 returning the 'piston to its normal inoperative position, whereby substantially all of the fluid in the cyl- 50 inder 4 is returned to the pump 24. To prevent the formation of a vacuum in the upper portion of the casing 24 above the level of the fluid therein, when the fluid is being pumped into the cylinder 4, a suitable vent hole 56 is pro 55 vided in the depending portion 28 above the cylinder 29, whereby air may be drawn into the upper portion of the casing 24 through the bore 33 and around the head 32 of the plunger 3|, it being understood that the head 32 is not tightly fitted in the bore 33. If desired, the ram may be indefinitely held against the work by the pressure fluid, by simply leaving the valve 52 closed. The valve 52 also provides means whereby the pressure may be gradually released from the ram, which may be desirable for some classes of work. When the novel press herein disclosed is used for removing the pivot pins, indicated by the numeral 51 in Figures 1 and 2 from the links of a traction belt, a suitable adaptor or thrust pin 70 53 is preferably utilized which is interposed between the end of the pivot pin 51 and the end of the ram 2, as best shown in Figure 1. The adaptor pin 58 is slightly smaller in diameter than the pivot pin 51 so that it may readily pass 7 through the bores of .the links of the traction belt, whereby it may follow through, as shown inFigure 1.

To remove the usual bushings 59 from the links, an adaptor 6| is preferably used. This adaptor has 'a reduced terminal 62 adapted to enter the bore of the bushing 59, and a shoulder 53 which engages the end of thebushing, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The diameter of the body of the adaptor pin BI is slightly less than the normal diameter of the, bushing 59 so that it.may pass through the bores in the links of the traction belt,

' when removing the bushings therefrom. The

because of the tendency of the bushing to buckle adaptor pin 58 may be interposed between the end of the ram 2 and the adaptor 5|, as shown in Figure 3.

To remove the pivot pins 51 from the links of the traction belt, thethrust plate l3'is engaged with one of the links of the traction belt, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The adaptor pin 58 is then interposed between one end of the pivot pin 51 and'the ram 2, after which the latter is actuated by operating the handle 31 of the pump, whereby the pressure is applied to the end of thepivot pin to thereby remove it from its bearings in the links of the traction belt, aswill readily be understood by reference to Figure 1. When thus removing a pivot pin from the traction be't, the bushing 59 transmits the thrust exerted against the link of the traction belt adjacent to the ram,

to the link at the opposite side of the traction belt, which is engaged with the thrust plate l3,

whereby the pivot pin may be removed from the traction belt at one operation, or with one setting of the apparatus.

To remove the bushings 59 from the links, the operation is slightly different, in that the bushings, particularly if badly worn, cannot readily be pressed out of the links when the traction belt is supported inthe manner shown in Figure 1,

or bulge, which would cause enlargement of the body thereof, whereby said body could not be pressed through the bore of the link at the opposite side of the traction belt from which the pressure was being applied.

To eliminate this difficulty, the thrust plate I3 is engaged with each link of the traction belt, as shown in full and dotted lines in Figure 5; first with one and then the other. It will also be noted that when removing the bushing from the links, the thrust plate is positioned between opposite links of the chain. In other words, the thrust plate or member l3 engages the inner faces or surfaces of the links, when removing the bushings 59, and the outer surfaces thereof, when removing the pivot pins 51. By removing the worn bushing from the links, as above described, the intermediate or body portion thereof is not sub jected to the pressure of the .ram and therefore does not buckle.

While I have herein shown the invention as particularly adapted for removing from, and in serting new pivot pins and bushings in the traction belts of crawler type tractors, and the like, it is to be understood that it may be'used for various other purposes where applicable, and where extremely high pressure is required. The novel construction of the pump is such that the pressure which may be exerted-by the ram'against the work is very great, as compared to the size of the apparatus, and as compared to other apparatus of'this general nature now in commercial use. The press itself may be freely moved about upper portions of said thrust plate and said supa result of the flexible connections I! and 53 operatively connecting the cylinder 4 to the pump, which is of considerable advantage in a structure of this kind, particularly, when-used on heavy work which cannot readily be moved about or so 5 of considerable importance, in that it makes it possible for'one man to readily apply the press to the work, which might be impossible if the pump were constructed as an integral part of the press, because of theadditive weight of the pump.

It is to be understood that the entire weight of the press, exclusive of the pump, is such that one man may readily move it about from one place to another on the job. It is also to be noted that the press may be quickly and conveniently applied to the work as, for example, the links of a traction belt, without the use of bolts, screws, or other securing means, asclearly illustrated in the drawings, whereby the work of replacing worn pins and bushings may be expeditiously performed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a hydraulic press,-a ram having a suitable support, a thrust plate between which and said ram the work to be operated on is positioned, a compression member connecting together the port, and tension members connecting together the intermediate portions of said thrust plate and said support, and threaded means whereby the thrust, plate may be adjusted with respect to said support.

2. In a hydraulic press, a ram having a suitable support, a thrust plate between which and said ram the work to be operated on is positioned, a compression member loosely connecting together the upper portions of said thrustplate and said support, and tension members connecting together the intermediate portions of said thrust plate and said support.

3. In a hydraulic press, a ram comprising a piston, a cylinder for said piston, a support for the cylinder, a thrust member between which and said ram the work to be operated upon is positioned, a plurality of elongated members operatively connecting together said support and said thrust plate, one of said elongated members 56 being under compression and others under tension and fluid circulating means remote from said cylinder for circulating the fluid therein to thereby effect operation of the ram.

4. In a hydraulic press, a ram comprising a 60 piston, a cylinder for said piston having an inelastic fluid therein, a support'for the cylinder,

a thrust member between which and said ram the work to be operated upon is positioned, a plurality of elongated members lomely connecting together. said support and 'said thrust plate where'- by the plate may adapt itself to variations in the work, one of said elongated members being under compression and the others under tension,

and a fluid pump remote from said cylinder for circulating the fluid therein to thereby effect operation of the piston and ram.

5. In a hydraulic press, a ram comprising a piston and a cylinder in which the latter is movable, saicl cylinder being adapted to receive an 79 work, a fluid circulating pump remote from said cylinder, and flexible fluid conducting-means connecting the pump to the cylinder whereby operation of said pump will cause the pressure fluid therein to be delivered into the cylinder to thereby operate the piston.

6. In a hydraulic press, a ram comprising a piston and a cylinder in which the latter is movable, said cylinder being adapted to receive an inelastic fluid, a support for the ram, a thrust plate between which and said ram the work to be operated upon is positioned, a compression member loosely connecting together the upper portions of said thrust plate and said support, tension members operatively connecting together intermediate portions of the thrust plate and said support and permitting the thrust plate to move, whereby the device may adapt itself to variations inthe work, a fluid. circulating pump, flexible fluid conducting means connecting the pump to the cylinder whereby operation of said pump will cause the pressure fluid therein to be delivered into the cylinder to thereby operate the piston,

and a manually operable valve for controlling the return flow of the fluid to the pump.

7. In a hydraulic press, a plunger, a support therefor, a thrust plate between which and the plunger the work to be operated on is positioned, 5 a compression member loosely connecting together portions of said thrust plate and said support in a plane oflfset from the axis of the plunger, and tension members connecting together intermediate portions of the thrust plate and said support.

8. In a hydraulic press, a plunger, 2. support therefor, a thrust plate between which and the plunger the work to be operated on is positioned,

a compression member loosely connecting together portions of said thrust plate and said support in a plane offset from the axis of the plunger, tension members connecting together intermediate portions of the thrust plate and said support, and fluid circulating means remote from the press for actuating the plunger.

9. In a hydraulic press, a plunger, a support therefor, a thrust plate between which and the plunger the work to be operated on is positioned,

a compression member interposed between the thrust plate and the plunger and having movable connections therewith and offset from the axis of the plunger, and tension members connecting together other portions of the thrust plate and said support, and located between the thrust member and the axis of the plunger.

JAMES S. RODGERS. 

